Retiree will undergo angioplasty thanks to Mumbai's generosity

An anonymous donor, who runs a trust in the city, has come forward to help foot Niranjan Vaidhya’s angioplasty bill after he was blocked from encashing his FD

mid-day’s report and people’s willingness to help those in need have ensured that 55-year-old Niranjan Vaidhya, whose life’s savings are stuck in a Rs 4-lakh fixed deposit at Kapol Bank, will be able to undergo an expensive angioplasty.

After mid-day reported about Vaidhya’s plight yesterday, an anonymous donor, who runs a trust in the city, approached the family the same day and offered to help foot his hospital bill, which is expected to be Rs 3 lakh. Vaidhya had been admitted to a hospital with chest pain recently and he was told that he had a 90% blockage in his arteries, which would require an angioplasty immediately.

mid-day’s report on June 30

However, when the retiree went to withdraw the money needed for the angioplasty from Kapol Bank, where his life savings were kept in a R4-lakh fixed deposit, he was told he couldn’t do so because the RBI had appointed an administrator to the bank and banned premature withdrawals of FDs last week.

The Borivli resident was supposed to get admitted to Hinduja Hospital today and his family was worried about where the funds were going to come from as neither Vaidhya’s son nor his kin could arrange the money at short notice. The angioplasty, which will be conducted by Dr Rajesh Rajani, head of the cardiology department, is scheduled for today.

Luck smilesVaidhya’s kin had somehow managed to put R2-lakh together and he was admitted to Hinduja yesterday. “Luckily, some relatives helped us and we managed to collect that much money.

The Borivli branch of Kapol Bank had told us that we would have to wait for the FD’s due date, which is April 2015,” said Niranjan, Vaidhya’s son.

“We were all relieved when we heard that someone had come forward to help us. We are now coordinating with members of the trust and will decide what steps need to be taken,” he added.